Abbott says no formal complaint made over Slipper

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott says complaints made to Howard government staff about Peter Slipper's behaviour did not constitute a "formal" complaint.

Former aide James Ashby has filed a civil claim in the Federal Court, alleging Mr Slipper made unwelcome sexual advances towards him in January this year.

But in Federal Court documents made public on Monday, Mr Ashby also accuses Mr Slipper of using his office to foster sexual relationships with young male staffers.

In the documents, Mr Ashby says officials in John Howard's government knew as far back as 2003 that Mr Slipper - who was then a Liberal MP - had "formed a relationship of a sexual nature with a younger male member of staff" employed in his office.

But Mr Abbott has told the ABC the complaint to Tony Nutt, a senior adviser to Mr Howard who was told of the allegations, was not "formal" or made by anyone claiming to have been sexually harassed.

There was never a formal complaint. If there had been a formal complaint, I'm confident that things would've been done differently.

"There was never a formal complaint. If there had been a formal complaint, I'm confident that things would've been done differently."

Mr Ashby's statement says a former Slipper staffer, Megan Hobson, had seen a video in which Mr Slipper was observed to behave inappropriately but that Mr Nutt told her to "forget all about it".

Mr Nutt has rejected suggestions he mishandled the 2003 complaint.

In a statement issued on Monday evening, Mr Nutt said he was "seriously concerned about false reports in the media" and described the allegation as "defamatory".

He pointed out that Mr Ashby's document also says the female staffer believed the relationship was consensual.

Mr Abbott has also dismissed any notion that the Coalition helped Mr Ashby prepare his case.

"I had no specific knowledge of this until I read the newspapers on Saturday morning and to the best of my knowledge, no-one in the Coalition had specific knowledge of this until they read the newspapers," he said.

Mr Slipper has stepped aside as Speaker of the Lower House while criminal allegations about the misuse of Cabcharges are investigated, but denies both sets of allegations.

Judgement call

"What's happened here brings into further question the Prime Minister's judgment and the Prime Minister's standards," he said.

"I think we need an election. I think we need it as soon as possible. I think this is a Government which should've died of shame a long time ago."

But Federal Attorney-General Nicola Roxon has played down the perceived riskiness of Mr Slipper's appointment.

"I think people have all agreed on both sides of the Parliament that he's actually performed very well as the Speaker," she told Lateline.

"It has meant that we've been able to get on with the business of government."

I am not aware of any arrangement having been made that his costs are being covered.

Attorney-General Nicola Roxon

She says at this stage it is not clear whether the Federal Government will pick up the bill for Mr Slipper's legal fees.

"We only as the Commonwealth pay for any sort of legal action if somebody is defending a matter that's happened in the course of their duties ... there are occasions where ministers are sued for their formal duties and of course the Government then does meet those costs," she said.

"I doubt that this would be one of those situations. I certainly haven't been asked, but I am not aware of any arrangement having been made that his costs are being covered."

Earlier on Monday, Ms Roxon called for calm over the scandal and warned against "trial by media" on the civil claims of sexual harassment, pointing out that many Coalition MPs have stayed in their positions while civil claims were before the courts.

Ms Roxon says stopping Mr Slipper from returning to the Speaker's role because of a civil lawsuit would set a dangerous precedent and accused Mr Abbott of exploiting the scandal for political gain.

"Mr Abbott is calling for this because he can see the political advantage in it," she said.